I Hate You
by cad4562
Summary: A Muggleborn in Hogwarts, the most elite school in the wizarding world. A Muggleborn in Slytherin. A Muggleborn with the world against her. Can an unorthodox deal with the devil make her life a little easier? Even if that devil is 6'1", gorgeous and wearing shoes that cost more than her house because his name is James Potter and one day, he'll inherit, like, the world.
1. Chapter 1

The characters, etc., etc., do not belong to me, etc., etc. but to J.K. Rowling etc., etc.

* * *

Lily tucked her legs under her, grateful for the extra space from an empty cabin. She pulled a Transfiguration textbook from her back, content to study until she needed to leave for the prefects cabin. The bi-yearly train ride was, for Lily, a source of anticipation but also dread. The return to Hogwarts both welcome and not.

Summer had brought with it, relief from the unrelenting torment of her fellow Slytherins, who, from the moment they found out she was Muggleborn made it their mission to make her feel as ostracized and unwelcome as they could taking it several steps further when they found out she was a scholarship student. Severus Snape, Lily's best friend, remained nearly the only reason she stayed. However, the first day of summer this year, Lily had been introduced to Vernon Dursley, her sister's rather large boyfriend. As Lily struggled to understand her sister's feelings for the self absorbed, arrogant and complaining man, she realized she needn't, for her sister had already warning him of Lily's oddity and he quickly came to feel as much loathing for Lily as Petunia did.

As a result, Lily spent most of her summer out of the house, for Vernon was practically living there, and, when she wasn't working to pay for Hogwarts, with Severus who lived nearby. Being on scholarship meant that instead of the tuition being holy-hell-why-don't-I-buy-an-island-while-I'm-at-i t expensive, it was merely the cost of a small house... made of gold, which kept Lily pretty busy between jobs. And she still had to buy books and robes and supplies after that. Lily never considered asking her parents for money because she knew there was none.

Severus and her spent a lot of time outside, wandering around town. Lily knew without Severus telling her, that her muggle blood made her unwelcome in his house, the way she was unwelcome in the homes of most of her classmates. But she'd been best friends with Severus for almost as long as she could remember, having met him in the pack when she was seven or eight before he knew what blood prejudice really was. Their friendship had become strained ever since they arrived at Hogwarts and Lily's muggleborn blood status made her a target for the Slytherins, and her Slytherin status made her a target for the rest of the school.

* * *

_The Great Hall was festively decorated in an awe-striking manner Lily could see as she peaked through the giant doors, her shaking hand firmly clasped in Severus' own. She was sure the butterflies in her stomach were eating her from the inside out. Her only comfort was that she could feel the exact same fear in the rest of her classmates as they waited just outside, leaning forward for desperate glances though the swinging great doors. Behind them, a pair of rowdy boys were wrestling, unconcerned that they were running into everyone else and apparently unconcerned for the Sorting ahead._

_When they stumbled forward into Severus, knocking him to the ground, Severus stood and turned around angrily._

_"Watch it!" He cried, brushing off the front of his robes. _

_"You should have moved!" One of the dark haired boys said, as if it were obvious._

_"I couldn't!" Sev exclaimed as they returned to wrestling. It was true really. They were sandwiched between five or six other people.__ Lily tugged on Severus' hand gently, her bright green eyes penetrating his, trying to calm him down before he got himself into trouble. _

_"Let it go. It's not worth it right now." She told him as he fumed. _

_"Bloody Potter." He muttered under his breath, barely audible. Shortly after the two boys stopped wrestling, settling for talking between themselves.__ Severus turned around slightly, listening to their conversation._

_"Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?" Lily heard one ask the other. _

_"'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave of heart.' Like my dad." The one who'd confronted Severus, Potter, said. He seemed to notice Sev had turned around for he immediately followed with, "Got a problem with that?" _

_Severus glared at him, a rivalry forming already, 'If you'd rather be brawny than brainy." He said, making it clear where he valued intelligence. _

_Before the Potter boy could respond, the grand doors to the Great Hall opened, leaving the students speechless as they were herded into the hall. _

_Lily could barely keep up with the Sorting Song as she glanced around at the hall, never in her life had she been in such a beautiful buildilng. Lost in her dreaming, she barely noticed as the dark haired woman, McGonagall began calling students. Pulled from her stupor as one of the dark haired boys walked by her to the front when the name 'Black, Sirius', was called. _

_For several minutes the hat sat on the boy's head and Lily noticed several of the people at the table decked in green shifting uncomfortable. But the boy under the hat seemed to be quite pleased that the hat was taking so long. _

_When the hat finally called out, "Gryffindor", the hall was thrown into disarray as many of the students protested._

_"He's a Black!" An older boy shouted from the green, Slytherin table. "Do it again!"_

_"Mr. Malfoy." The headmaster called, his auburn beard all the way down to his chest. "Have a seat." _

_"But he belongs in Slytherin!" Another student called out. More students stood, complaints on their lips._

_"SILENCE." The older man shouted, the entire hall quickly quieting as McGonagall resumed the Sorting._

_"Snape, Severus." Sev squeezed her hand a last time before stepping forward. The hat barely sat on his head a second when it called out, "Slytherin!" The Slytherins were placated and settled for cheering Severus as he walked to the table._

_"Evans, Lily." Lily heard her name later called. Walking forward in a trance, Lily fingered her short red hair, twirling it around a finger. _

_The hall laughed, amused, when she had to jump up to sit on the stood, scooting back. McGonagall placed the hat on her head as Lily sat through the longest, most regretted moments of her life. _

_Lily watched Severus, from where she sat and he smiled encouragingly. _

_"Brilliant. And strong."_

_"Slytherin." Lily thought to the voice she heard in her head. "Slytherin." She watched the obnoxious Potter boy greet all the other people at the Gryffindor table._

_"Muggleborn." The hat said in her head._

_"Slytherin." Lily repeated yet again._

_"But if you can survive it..." The hat said quietly. "A very strong witch."_

_Suddenly, outside, the hat called "Slytherin." And the hat was removed from her head and Lily went to sit next to Severus, only to find that his face was one of horror._

* * *

**A/N Lily is in Slytherin. This is the premise of the story. This will not change. This will make Lily who she is and who she becomes.**

* * *

Lily sighed; 5 years later and she still wished, more often than she cared to admit, that she could make that decision over again. But she'd long stop believing that her wish might come true.

"Just grit your teeth and bear it because it's making you stronger." Her father told her each year when she returned home from school with darkening hopes and a heavy heart.

Her father's words rang in her ears as she headed down the train to the perfect's carriage where she'd get her instructions for the beginning of the year. She managed to avoid being seen as she hastened down the corridor, catching a glimpse of Severus in a compartment with Lestrange, Mulciber, and Wilkes. He'd told her he would come find her on the train, for their Hogwarts Express rituals, but Lily was learning that Severus' words were becoming less and less reliable.

At the very front of the train, Lily found the Perfect's carriage. The small room was decorated with photos of previous head students and perfects who'd made an impact on the school in one way or another and seats, arranged in rows, were assigned to houses and years. Lily spotted her own seat next to Avery and lingered around the doorway as long as was polite before going and taking her seat next to him.

Avery had a way of making every thing he said to her feel violating. She would rather be hexed by Bellatrix than have to have a mere conversation with Avery.

"Damn." He said as she sat down, "If you weren't a Mudblood... " He trailed off, leaving Lily to deal with her urge to vomit as he sat back in his seat. Leaning as far away from him as possible, Lily waited for the meeting to start.

A few seconds later, the door slammed open. A ragged Remus Lupin stepped through the doorway, Potter and Black cackling hysterically behind him. Lily looked favorably upon Lupin having the grace to look a bit embarrassed by his friends. "I apologize for my tardiness." He said, sitting down next to Alice Green, another 5th year Gryffindor. The Head girl nodded at him and continued with the start of the meeting.

Lily left the meeting a short while later, anxious to be away from Avery and walked down the corridor. She was painfully aware of Avery still walking just a little ways behind her and Lily slipped her hand into her robes where her wand should be hidden. She cursed silently when she remembered that she'd left it in her trunk.

"Hey, Evans." She heard Remus Lupin call after her. Turning, she saw Avery duck into a compartment behind her as Lupin passed.

"It's Lily right?" He asked her. Lily nodded aprehensively.

"Remus Lupin." He said, extending a hand to her. Lily shook his hand, her eyes wary. He had dark sandy blond hair and an attractive angular face. Despite coming from a wealthy family, his robes were almost as tattered as hers and his eyes were tired like he had never had a good night's sleep in his life.

"Can I help you with something?" She asked, her voice betraying her apprehension.

"No. I just figured I'd introduce myself. From the looks of this, we'll be seeing a lot of each other." Lily glanced down at the patrol schedule in her hand and realized he was right. She had almost every single patrol with him.

"Right." She said, in a breath. "Well, it was nice to meet you, Remus."

"You, too, Lily." He said as she turned and walked away.

Lily returned to her compartment only to find someone already in it.

"I'm really sorry that I didn't-" Severus began before stopping with a look from Lily. Closing the door behind her, Lily sat down. Only to hear the tearing of fabric and finding her robe caught in the door. Pulling off her robes and getting them out of the door, Lily stood in only a too short pleated skirt and a too big white button down shirt.

She stretched up to her trunk to retrieve her wand, away of Severus' eyes running the length of her body. Quickly sitting, Lily began repairing her robes. She'd noticed Severus' eyes on her like this since the beginning of summer and she wasn't sure how she felt about it quite yet, deciding to act like she hadn't noticed it.

"I'm sorry." Severus said, as if defeated, without meeting her eyes.

Lily grappled with the words she wanted to say, "I just - I just don't understand, Sev! You blow me off, but for _them._ I just don't understand." Lily said, the words to describe her frustration escaping her.

"They're not as horrible as you make them out to be!" Severus defended, his loyalty torn between Lily and his Death Eater friends.

"Severus." Lily gaped at him. "You _see _what they do, how can you defend them!" Lily cried. "Mary McDonald, that was dark magic, Severus and you know it."

"That was just-" He stopped, unsure of what it just was.

"Look, let's just leave it." Lily said, taking a deep breath. "Talk about something else."

"How was your prefects' meeting?" Asked Severus, happy for a topic that wouldn't lead to a fight with Lily and force him to choose between his friends.

"Well, I got patrol schedule and I'm mostly with Remus Lupin. He seems nice enough, even if he is a Marauder." Lily told Severus, who immediately became suspicious.

"There's something off about him..." Severus trailed off thoughtfully. Lily glanced up at him quizzically.

"I don't know," Severus said, "He's always sneaking off." Lily's quizzical glance became one of doubt.

"Sev, if he didn't sneak off, he wouldn't be a Marauder. And I'm not going to point fingers at people for wanting to keep secrets. Mind their privacy I say." Lily said.

Severus sat back, a child after having been chastised. The awkward silence following was broken thankfully soon by the compartment door being slammed open to reveal the sneering faces of Avery and Mulciber as they leered at Lily.

"Snape? Lestrange's gotten a-" Mulciber hesitated dumbly, "-a a present." He stuttered, obviously unable to find a code word for the something dark and evil that Lestrange had gotten.

Severus hesitated for a moment looking to Lily when Avery jumped in, "Unless you'd rather stay here with your Mudblood." He tossed his head towards Lily, who had already moved past the conversation, ignoring Severus as she set about repairing her robes.

"See you later." Severus said as he stood, following Avery and Mulciber out. As Lily watched the compartment door close, she felt herself grow just a little further from Severus, as she did every time he chose his dark friends over her and left an aching gap in her chest as her friend slipped away.

* * *

As one door closes, another door opens. ;)


	2. Chapter 2

Lily hurried to find a seat as she stepped into the Great Hall; better to let the chips fall where they may than have to pick between evils, ahem, Slytherins. Fortune smiled upon her and she found herself surrounded by seconds years, who were too young to try and hassle her even if she was a Muggleborn. The feast passed quickly, with Remus Lupin at one point throwing a dashing smile at her from across the hall, and soon Dumbledore was standing to make his final speech. After reminding them of their boundaries, regulations, etc., he released the hall to their dormitories.

After helping the head students corral the first years, the prefects led the Slytherins to the dungeons. The dark dungeons were pinched with cold as the Lily entered her common room, the eerie green light from the lake casting a horrible pallor to her skin and clashing with her hair. Few students settled into the antique leather furniture sparsely arranged in the low ceiling room but the stone floor echoed with the footsteps of the students down the stairs to their dormitories below.

Noticing Snape seated with Avery and Mulciber in one secluded corner of the common room, Lily did not linger to say goodnight but rather hurried on faster to her dormitory. However, upon her arrival, Lily almost wished she had stayed in the common room for a few minutes longer.

Narcissa Black occupied the doorway as Lily appeared, giving Lily a nasty look as she tried to maneuver around her. The skinny girl was almost sickly looking in the lighting, her bones jutting harshly and her blonde hair looking thin. A few steps beyond her, Bellatrix Black was a shapely girl with chaotic black hair that could only be described as sexy, the mad look usually in her eyes being the only thing that averted the boys beyond the Slytherin house. Tonight though, the only similarity between the two sisters was the arrogant, higher-than-god look in their eyes; the only look they ever gave Lily.

In the bed next to Lily's was Mitty Zabini, the easiest of her three roommates to deal with. Mitty lacked the evilness that could be seen in the eyes of the Black sisters and settled for being gossipy though choosing to ignore Lily most often.

Lily fell into bed as she heard her fourth room mate, Levvy, enter. Levvy had proved herself to be the meanest of her roommates, the kind to more tear one down emotionally rather than prank and sneer. Her underhanded comments about Lily's appearance, romantic life and personality always came at the seeming worst times.

Lily awoke the next morning to find all the other girls still asleep and she hurriedly pulled on a skirt and blouse, sliding her robes on and snatching her book bag as she slipped out the dormitory. Leaving the dungeons early and returning late usually ensured that she would encounter as few of her house mates as possible.

As Lily stepped out the opening and from behind the tapestry, she was shocked to run straight into a large grey barn owl. A small roll of parchment was tied to the leg that it extended gracefully after landing clumsily on Lily's outstretched arm.

She untied the letter from the owl, setting her bag on the ground and unraveling the letter.

Dear Lily,

If you haven't any plans, I know a certain professor who would be  
delighted if you would grace a him with the pleasure of your  
company for a spot of breakfast in his office this fine morning.  
Sorry for the late notice and I would understand if you are unavailable.

Sincerely,  
Professor Slughorn

The invitation meant Lily wouldn't have to face the Great Hall this morning and happily, Lily changed directions and headed back down into the dungeons. The potions master, Professor Slughorn, was one of Lily's greatest friends at Hogwarts and he had had an unwavering faith in Lily and her abilities since her first year despite all the of the social problems she faced at school. They had been in correspondence since Lily's first year and had remained year round friends. He was one of the reasons that Lily had decided to remain at Hogwarts in the face of the unpleasantness.

The chill of the dungeons had her breath coming in white tangible puffs when she reached Slughorn's office, the heavy bag of books and the chilling air making the trek unpleasant. She pullled open the door to his office and feeling the warm air rush out at her, smiled.

"Lily!" Professor Slughorn cried, standing to meet her.

"My dear, how've you been?" He asked, embracing her petite figure in his heavy arms.

"Never better, Professor." Lily said happily, "And you, Professor?"

Slughorn chucked deep in his chest and patted her on the back, "Oh don't let me trouble you with an old man's burdens!"

"Professor!" Lily exclaimed as she sat down in the chair across his desk, continuing their playful banter until the house elves arrived. Lily recounted her summer to Professor Slughorn and he told her of his travels abroad while they ate.

"And your finances, Lily? I hope you didn't have too much trouble managing the tuition." Slughorn said quietly sipping his tea.

Lily smiled confidently, "No, well, I mean it certainly wasn't easy but I'm here aren't I?"

"One day you will understand and be thankful that you were here despite everything." Lily sighed setting her cup down.

"One day I hope to be able to believe that." Lily sighed, unhappiness creeping into her calm demeanor. She shook her head as if to shake the thoughts from her head and gathered her things, "I actually should be getting on to class now."

"Why, Merlin's beard, look at the time!"

Lily stood to leave but Professor Slughorn stopped her. "Oh, Lily, before you go, Minerva asked me to pass this along." He told her, pulling from his robes a slightly wrinkled piece of paper, Lily's timetable and handing it to her.

"Oh, thank you, Professor!" Lily cried, "That's so thoughtful." Slughorn smiled cheerily at her.

"It's no problem, my dear. It also appears as if I'll be seeing you later today! Well, you best be of. Can't be late for your first day of classes!"

"That would be most inappropriate as a prefect." Lily teased before setting off.

"Goodbye, Professor!" She said, turning towards the door.

"Goodbye, Lily!" Slughorn called after her.

Lily raced off to Transfigurations with the Gryffindors, thankful to be returning to ground level and the warmth that comes with it. Stumbling into Transfigurations with not a second to spare, McGonagall gave her a stern look and Lily took a seat near the back next to Severus.

"I didn't see you at breakfast." Snape said, more a question than a statement.

"Slughorn invited me to his office for breakfast. He had my timetable. " Lily told him quietly as McGonagall gave the pair a silencing look.

Severus looked as if he were going to say something else but his nose began swelling to an enormous size and changing color as James Potter and Sirius Black dissolved into laughter, the obvious culprits. Lily glared at the two, feeling useless as Severus howled.

Severus was sent to the hospital wing while Potter and Black were given detentions and Lily watched Sev's eyes shine angrily and with revenge she was sure as he left the classroom, leaving the other Gryffindors to their laughter and the Slytherins to seethe. Lily didn't see Severus until the beginning of the next class and he barely spoke to her all period.

The remainder of the classes that day were about being prepared for O.W.L.s and being responsible and Lily spent the majority of the time looking forward to her first prefect rotation.

* * *

That evening Lily left her dormitory to meet Remus on the 3rd floor corridor for prefect duty. The late hour meant the halls were almost deserted, a sight few got the pleasure of seeing. The moonlight casting shadows on the walls and floors made Hogwarts a beautiful and spooky place at night.

Hearing her footsteps he stood from where he leaned against the wall, book in hand.

"Hello, Lily." He smiled politely.

"Remus." Lily said lightly, dancing to his side. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting long."

"I don't mind." Remus said. "Gave me a chance to read." He lifted the book in his hand to eye level, as if proof that he has in fact been reading.

"What are you reading?" She asked him, trying to catch a glimpse of the cover of the book.

"The Count of Monte Cristo." He said, flipping the book over so she could see the cover.

"That's a good book!" Lily said, "Not one of my favorites but good." Remus looked confused for a minute before resolving his features.

"I keep forgetting you're muggleborn." Lily grimaced and looked down reflexively. Upon seeing her reaction to his comment, Remus quickly backtracked.

"No! I don't mean it in a bad way! You're in Slytherin so sometimes it's easy to forget that you're not pureblood."

"I wish it were always so easy." Lily smiled faintly.

"Is it hard? Being who you are, in a school like Hogwarts?" He asked delicately.

Lily thought about it for a moment. In a school like Hogwarts, it was almost abnormal for someone to _not_ have blood prejudice, most coming from age old wealthy wizarding families. Almost every student was halfblood or greater and _every_ student came from money. Being muggleborn and poor was a difficult way to live that no one in the castle related to. When she'd first arrived, many of the students and their parents had had problems and Lily was grateful to Dumbledore for allowing her the opportunity. Still, it was made clear to her that if she put so much as a toe out of line, the pressure from the school board would be too much and Dumbledore would be forced to expell her. Since then, not too many problems had been raised. Lily stayed out of the way and befriended teachers instead of students.

"Not really. I guess, I sort of got used to it..." Lily told him. "Almost like, if it's the way you live for long enough, you start to forget anything different. And the teachers are great mostly so... I don't really have anything to complain about." Remus stayed quiet a moment as Lily continued thinking.

"And being sorted into Slytherin?" He asked, teasingly. "Some brilliant stroke of fate?"

"No." Lily laughed, "My own unfortunate decision." Remus nodded.

"Well, imagine it this way. If you believe the karmic balance of life, you should be getting some bloody good luck at some point."

Lily laughed, "Blimey, I hope so."

"Just let life surprise you." He told her. "It will." He gave her a teasing smile, "For example. My friends and I were all under the impression that you were some secret evil genius Slytherin who blew us out of the water with her evil intellect. But here you stand before me, completely unevil."

Lily laughed, "As far as you know." Remus gave her a faux terrified look to her amusement, "Just teasing. I have no plans of killing you all in your sleep... yet."

"And how do you know we won't come after you first?" Remus said, "James is pretty mad you stole his top in class spot. I don't know if we can let that kind of thing go unpunished."

They continued plotting each others deaths until they'd walked every hall in the castle and their patrol was over. Returning to the third floor corridor, Lily and Remus said goodbye and went their separate directions.

"Hey Lily!" Lily turned around to see Remus had not moved. "Come eat lunch with me tomorrow. I have some people I want to introduce you to." Lily smiled, genuinely happy for the invitation.

"I'll see you then."

"And Lily." He called again, "Lose the green." He smiled at her as she turned around again. She rounded the corner of the corridor and headed down towards the dungeons.

* * *

Lunch the next day came faster than Lily expected. Soon she found herself walking with Remus towards the Great Hall in colorless standard Hogwarts robes with no green tie. She couldn't help but think that she couldn't remember the last time she had lunch in the Great Hall, always preferring to skip lunch to study or shower.

Remus led her to the Gryffindor table, sitting in the midst of four other girls, leaving room for Lily right next to him.

"Hey, Remus." They all chimed.

"Hey girls. This is Lily, she's a prefect with me." He said, leaving out her Slytherinness or blood status. "Lily, this is Emma, Dora, Marlene, and Alice." He pointed to each in turn.

Before Lily could mutter a hello in return a whooping registered throughout the hall. Turning around Sirius Black raced towards them. He skidded to a halt in front of Remus who barely looked up from his plate.

"Remusremusremus." Black said animatedly. "We did it!" He cried quietly.

Remus glanced up at him, "We?"

"Me and J-" he glanced around and cursed. They followed his eyes to see Potter stopped in the entrance hall, two girls standing before him.

"That boy. I swear. He has a girl for every day of the year." Marlene groaned. Her long blonde hair fell over her shoulders as she buried her head in her hands for a brief moment.

Black laughed at her comment. 'Sometimes two!" The girls groaned, almost repulsed.

Dorcas recovered long enough to say, "Hey Marlene, you're one to talk." Marlene sent Dorcas a seething glare, that let her know that her comment was unnecessary.

"Oy! James!" Black called across the hall and Potter came running soon after.

"Ey! Evans. Imagine seeing you here. Isn't your table, over there, with Snivellus?" Potter said haughtily as he approached, flicking his head in the direction of the Slytherin table.

"I invited her James. What did you do?" Remus asked seriously as Lily gave Potter an angry look. Potter and Black immediately turned their attention back to Remus and their faces light up happily, remembering the reason for their entrance.

"We did it." Potter cried. Seeming to understand the same words from a different person, Remus' eyes widened and he stood immediately, following Black and Potter from the Hall and leaving Lily alone with four strange girls for a surprisingly fun lunch to follow.

By the end of it Emma had stormed out and so had Alice, leaving Marlene and Dorcas to finish lunch. Marlene walked with Lily to Potions while Dorcas, also known as Dora ran off ahead.

"Don't mind them," Marlene said as they walked to potions together. "Emma and Alice are best friends, torn between hating and loving each other. Their little love scuffles are harmless. But don't listen to a thing one says about the other." She said.

"How did you meet them?"

"Well, I met Alice the first year at Hogwarts and I met Emma when I was nine because she came to a ball my parents hosted."

"A ball?" Lily asked, her eyes wide. Marlene gave her a slightly teasing, slightly condescending smile.

"Yes, a ball. Like the ball the Potter's have every year at Christmas?" Marlene asked, as though this was the most obvious thing. "The ball? At Christmas time that everyone spends the entire month trying to get an invitation to?"

"Oh yes!" Lily said, deciding the best option was to pretend like she knew what Marlene was talking about.

Marlene coughed a laugh, "You have no idea what I'm talking about do you?" Lily blushed but laughed with Marlene.

'None whatsoever." Marlene smiled and wrapped her arm around Lily.

"I'm liking you more and more. Balls are really boring events that most of us are expected to host and attend. You're missing out on nothing."

They continued talking all the way to potions, Lily's lack of magical informedness seeming so far to be one of Marlene's favorite things about her. And Lily gauged from Marlene's descriptions that she deemed most of her high society life stuffy and unfulfilling, though she never said it.

They were hushed on the way to what seemed a fast friendship when Filch stomped into the dungeon where Potions was held.

"Yer professor ain't feelin' well. Practice makin' the potion on page 345 in yer book. Don't ask me questions." Lily flipped through her secondhand potions book to find a seemingly simple potion that wouldn't take long to make.

"I'll get the ingredients if you go over the directions?" Lily said to Marlene.

"Deal." Marlene said happily, "Be warned, I'm no good at potions."

"We'll manage." Lily said as she turned to the supply closet. Plucking bottles off of shelves, Lily gathered what she needed for both her and Marlene's potions. She turned back to walk to her desk and ran into something solid. She stumbled back, hitting the shelf behind her and uttered a quiet cry as the contents of the shelf fell on her.

She pushed herself up, glass cutting into the palm of her hands. She hissed, feeling stinging all over as the random ingredients mixed dangerously on her skin and on the floor and she looked up to find herself face to face with James Potter, who looked almost amused.

"Potter." Lily hissed through clenched teeth.

"DETENTION." Filch's voice cried.

"What?" Lily gasped.

"TWO NIGHTS."

"Sir!" Lily said.

"Wan' to make er three nights?" Filch hissed. Lily quieted as she tried to brush the ingredients off of her. "I'll see yeh both in detention. Tonight! Miste' Potter, take er to the hospital wing."

"I'll be fine. Thank you." Lily said as she pushed past Potter.

"Alright, Potter! Showing the Mudblood her place." The class laughed with the exception of, thankfully, Marlene who looked at Lily concerned. Though most of the class wouldn't dare use the word Mudblood but the word didn't hold the taboo it used to.

Lily blinked back a tear as she walked from the classroom as Filch ordered Potter to clean it up. Lily didn't stay long enough to here Potter refuse.

* * *

"Lily Evans. McGonagall has requested you in her office." A young 1st year said as he stood in Ancient Runes later that day. Lily gathered her things and hastened to her office. Potter sat in the office already when Lily entered, a most discourteous look on his face.

"Have a seat Ms. Evans." McGonagall said, "As I was saying, Mr. Potter, I cannot cancel your detention."

"Professor, I have already offered to pay to have the damaged stocks replaced. I'm afraid I don't understand." His words cut like knives, polite but threatening somehow.

"Mr. Potter, Ms. Evans." She began. "While you may not believe you've done anything wrong, you must respect Mr. Filch as an authority. If he thinks you deserve detention, then you two will be serving detention. You will be sorting books in the Library tonight and tomorrow night without magic, I do hope you can manage." She said, sarcasm on the edge of her last words. "Now. I suggest you both hurry along to the Great Hall if you want to have time to eat before your detentions begin."

Though his words and demeanor wouldn't betray him, Lily could tell Potter was angry. He stood calmly and walked out of the office, Lily a short ways behind him.

"This is ridiculous." Potter said, "Detention for falling." He strode ahead towards the Great Hall. Lily gave him an odd look as he headed for a staircase that would take him away from the Great Hall but kept walking.

"Are you coming?" A voice called after her, Potter.

"Coming where?" Lily asked him, confused.

"You'll see." Lily hesitated a moment before her curiosity won out and she followed Potter down the stairs.

"Where are we going, Potter?" Lily asked, jogging to keeping up with Potter's long legs. He led her to a painting of fruit, directly under the entrance to the Great Hall. He reached forward to touch the painting when Lily slapped his hand away.

"You shouldn't touch the paintings." She told him and Potter gave her a look of amusement and a bit of irritation.

"Loosen up a bit, Evans." He said, ignoring her advice and leaning forward to tickle the pear in the painting. To Lily's shock, the part he'd tickled turned into a handle and he pulled firmly on the door, which swung open to reveal a bustling kitchen full of house elves.

"Consider it a peace offering, Evans." Potter said, his eyes more persuasive than any type of torture. Hungry as she was, Lily sighed and stepped through the doorway. A half a dozen house elves approached Potter.

"Master Potter, sir, what can we do for you? Would you like pie?" They squeaked several times over. Potter looked to Lily, an eyebrow raised. Stumbling clumsily through her words, Lily politely asked them to make whatever was being served for dinner while Potter asked them to make him something french sounding. They hurriedly bowed back from Potter, who spoke to them with an air of command, and didn't seem to notice them tripping over one another to help him.

They ate in silence next to each other, barely acknowledging one another, unsure of what to say. When they finished Potter stood and to Lily's surprise, offered her his hand to help her from the stool. Releasing it as soon as she hit the ground, Lily gave him almost a disapproving look.

"Just because you know how to be a gentleman, doesn't mean you aren't the same arse who makes Severus' life hell." Lily said, anger in her blood and they walked to the library.

"Let's focus on the main part of that statement, 'you know how to be a gentleman'." Potter smirked when Lily rolled her eyes at him.

"Let's just get this detention over with." She told him, walking a few steps ahead of him so he got the message that she didn't want to talk to him.

* * *

Filch was waiting in the Library when they arrived.

'Alrigh' then." He said, sneering.

"Yeh two are goin' to be helpin' Madam' Pince with inventory. Scrolls are 'ere, books are there. The firs' three rows should be done tonigh'." He growled before stomping away, Lily already craving her bed. The work was harder than expected and required them to climb up and down the book shelves and carry books down and soon they discarded their robes, the library far warmer than the rest of the school.

By nine thirty, they were almost finished, only the last few books remaining. As Lily climbed up the bookcase, the last book in hand, she noticed Potter unbutton his shirt and had to avert her eyes, her glimpse of his chest enough to send any girl to her knees. She jumped off the counter, landing heavily on her feet and began rolling down her sleeves when suddenly a strong hard body slammed into her, a hand forcing her head back as she was pushed roughly against the counter behind her. Warm lips were crushed against her own, demanding. Gasping in shock, Potter took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth. His hands moved to Lily's waist, pulling her against him as Lily responded to the kiss, much to her surprise.

His hips pinned her between him and the counter and Lily let her hands slid around his neck, knotting in his hair as their tongues battled for dominance. He lifted her onto the counter, his hand sliding down her leg as he wrapped it around his waist and pulled Lily against his chest. His hand pulled the hair at the back of her hair, leaning her neck back as he pulled her hair down from the ponytail. His lips found the skin of her neck and Lily uttered an almost inaudible moan. Her skin hot as his hands moved to her hips, slipping under the thin white shirt. She gasped audibly as she felt _him_ pressing against her thigh. She pulled away, and struggled against him for a moment as she tried to get off the counter. He looked confused as she began pulling her robes on, his hair messier than she'd ever seen it.

"What? What happened?" He asked, his eyes wide in confusion.

"I, um." Lily stumbled over her words before simply turning, grabbing her bag, and racing out of the library leaving a confused Potter.

* * *

Expect the unexpected...


End file.
